Rotatable leg construction for reversible table tops



y 1952 e. E. DOTY 2,602,012

ROTATABLE LEG CONSTRUCTION FOR REVERSIBLE TABLE TOPS Filed NOV. 3, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR. if 72 By "W9 y y 1952 G. E. DOTY 2,602,012

ROTATABLE LEG CONSTRUCTION FOR REVERSIBLE TABLE TOPS Filed Nov. 3, 1949 2 SHEETS-SIIEET 2 J2 [z INVENTOR.

BY Osage/2. 50%? Patented July 1, 1952 ROTATABLE LEG CONSTRUCTION FOR REVERSIBLE TABLE TOPS George E. Doty, Winnetka, n1. 7 'l Application November 3, 1949, Serial No. 125,334

The present invention relates to furniture constructions and more particularly to improvements in tables and similar furniture' Tables with inlaid surfaces or veneered surfaces frequently become marred or blemished in ordinary use, which necessitates the refinishing of the surface or discarding of the table. Other tables have surfaces that are suitable for some occasions but are out of place on others.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a table with a reversible top'which may be quickly reversed without the aid of tools.

It is another object to provide a furniture joint which enables the legs of a table to be easily removed from one side and installed'on the other.

A further object is to provide a joint that will hold the assembled parts together securely and rigidly.

Another object is to provide means for holding the elements of a table assembled, which means enhance the appearance of the table and increase its utility.

It is a further object to provide a table with a reversible'top which is economical to manufacture and which may be shipped or stored in knock-down condition.

It is another object to provide a furniture construction in which a part of the means connecting the assembled elements is visible on the surface of the furniture and which is an ornamental feature of the design thereof.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features, as will be fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claim appended hereto.

In the drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled table constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of one corner of the table similar to that shown in Fig. 1 and showing an under plate in position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on the line 44 of' Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modification of the invention;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken on the line 1-4 of Fig. 6;

1 Claim. (01. 3 11-114) V have a wood screw end 32 which z i Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective other modification of the invention; Fig. 9 is an enlargedcross-section taken on'the line 9 -93 of Fig. 8;= 5 h Y:

View of an- Fig. 10 is a cross-section taken on the line- Ill-l0 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary cross-section or the invention as appliedto'a table having a single supporting memberi-" f Q 2 Referring to'thedrawings more in-detailfthe top surface of a table top isindi'cated at -H the: under surface at l4,the edges at 16 and 'thellegs or supporting: members at I81 ment illustrated" in -Figs. 1 and '3, the top" and under surfaces of the table top' are provided with identical aligned recessed portionsfi and 22 which are in substantial" alignment with the legs l8. Plates'24 are positioned inthe recessed portions 20 of the top surface lz. These plates completely fill the recessed portions and have their top surfaces flush with that of the table top. The plates may be bronze, 'plastic' or any suitable material and may be embossed, colored or otherwise ornamented. While the plates illustrated are substantially square, they may be rectangular, circular or any desired shape and may be used for coasters'or similar purposes.

The table top is, provided with openings 28 which pass through the recessed portions 20 and 22 and are in alignment with the legslB. The under surfaces of plates '24 are provided with threaded sockets 28 which extend intothe openings. The tops of legs l8' are provided with con centrically positioned screws 30 which are threaded for engagement with sockets 28. The crews may be secured to the legs'in any manner and, in the case of wooden legs, the screws may may be screwed into the ends of the legs. V v

The relatively broad contact surfaces of plates enable the legs to be tightly" screwed into sockets 28 and the topsof the legs to be held I rigidly against the under surface of the table top. Where a square leg is used and its top surface extends beyond the under recessed portion 22 when being turned, a spacer 34 may be used to prevent the top of the leg from engaging the under surface M of the table top and thereby marring it. Asshown in Fig. 3, the spacer may be a washer or it may be an under plate, such as shown at 23 in Fig. 2, which is similar to top plate 24 and which completely fills the under recessed portion; an opening is provided for accommodating screw 30. Plate 23 provides a larger abutting surface for the end of the leg and, also, prevents the end of In the "ehibodi- Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show a modification of the invention in which the top plates 24 and bottom plates 36 extend to the corners of thetable and are connected by side members 38. Recessed porwill tighten it with respect to both the base 46 and the top. Plate 2 2 may be of any size and shape and provides an ornamental place on which a coifeepot or potted plant may be placed without marring the finish of the table top. As in the previously described embodiments, if the crosssection of the supporting member is such that it can be screwed tightly to the table top without extending beyond the recessed portionv in the under surface it of the table top, the spacer 34 or an under plate may be omitted since the top of .the supporting member will not mar the portions of the under surface that will be exposed when the'tableitop is reversed, the same being true of tions are provided in edges of the table top to ac commodate the side members so that they are flush with the table edge. The corner piece can also be formed in two pieces with the bottom plate or spacer as a separate member from top plate 24 and its depending flanges or side members 33. The table top is provided with, slots ill extending from the edges to points in alignment with the legs to accommodate the socket 28 on the under face of plate 24, The corner pieces form protective, as well as ornamental; guards which securely hold the legs 18 when the screws 30 are tightened in sockets 28. To reverse the table top, it is merely necessary to unscrew the legs and slip off the corner pieces which are then turned over and the legs installed on theopposite side of the table top. 4 v

Where the legs ofthe table are not -positioned at the corners of the table top, as shown in Figs. 8-, 9 and 10, a plate similar to the corner piece shown in Figs. 5,, 6 and'7 may be used by eliminating-one of the side members 38. The remaining side member is positioned in a recessed portion of the table edge with its surface flush with that of the table edge. A variation is shown in Figs. 9 and 10 where the bottomplate is eliminated and a spacer 34 similar to that shown in Fig. 3 is used. The side member 38 may have an inwardly extending flange 42 which does not extend as far as the bottom plate shown-in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The table top may be readily reversed by unscrewing the legs and removing the top plates, which are installed on the opposite side, as are the legs. Slots 40 permit sockets 28 to be moved outwardly asthe plates are removed.

A table'having a single-supporting member 44 is shown in Fig. 1-1 and is provided with a base 48. The construction is similar to that described in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and, in addition,

the base 46 may be reversed, in a manner similar I the reversible base. It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the exact embodiments of the device shown, which are merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claim.

I claim:

A reversible top table with detachable supporting legs, the table top having identical, aligned recessed portions in its opposite flat faces, the table top having openings therein connecting the recessed portions, plates adapted to fit in and fill said recessed portions, an internally threaded socket extending from theunderfaceof each said plate and fitting in the connecting table top opening, and detachable legs having upwardly extending externally threaded screws threaded into the internally threaded sockets of the plates to retain the plates in, position on one face of the table top and the legs in position upon the opposite face of the table top, the positions of the plates and legs being reversible relative to the table tops to selectively expose as an upper table top surface either face of the table top, and to offer a smooth surface with the plates fully filling the recessed portions of the exposed surface.

GEORGE E. DOTY.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 451,755 Clark May 5, 1891 983,903 Horton Feb. 1%, 1911 1,094,900" Holt 1 Apr. 28, 1914 1,152,103 7 Kaufmann et a1. Aug. 31, 1915 1,590,586 McDonald June 29,1926 1,675,827 Shrader July 3, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain 1890 

